COVID-19 UPDATES
This is where we will post our most recent updates relating to Triscombe Farm and the Coronavirus Pandemic. If there are any drastic changes, these will also be publicised on our home page, social media channels and via mailing list to those who have subscribed.
Thursday 15th October 2020
- We have now been open to guests for 3 months. We have received extremely positive feedback from guests on the measures we have in place.
- We will still be keeping 72 hours between bookings until further notice.
- After October half term, we will be taking bookings for weekends (Friday to Monday/Tuesday), except for Christmas and New Year. Christmas stays will run from 20th-27th December and New Year Arrivals on 30th December. If you are interested in staying during the week in November/early December please let in touch.
- Following the introduction of the 3-tier lockdown system in England by the Government on 14th October, we will now only be accepting bookings of one household. Whilst West Somerset is in tier 1 (Medium risk), we are aware of the increased risk to individuals when mixing households indoors.
- For arrivals from Friday 16th October, postcodes of arriving guests will be checked against the Government tier map. Any guests who are booked who are travelling from areas in tiers 2 or 3 (high or very high) will be contacted to discuss rearranging their stay.
- Our Covid-19 Risk Assessment was last updated on 22nd September 2020. It is due for review in December 2020.
- An ‘allowance’ towards electricity is now included in tariff prices for bookings between November and March. This is as follows:
Week breaks: £10 for a sleeps 2, £20 for a sleeps 4, £30 for a sleeps 6 cottage.
Short breaks (3/4 nights): £7.50 for a sleeps 2, £15 for a sleeps 4, £22.50 for a sleeps 6
Wednesday 8th August 2020
- We have been open to guests for several weeks now and all is going smoothly. Our table tennis table is now outside under a gazebo and our pool booking system is funning well. Here is some feedback from a guest who has stayed with us since we reopened:
“The cottages are just wonderful, and I thought we were left to do what we wanted without intrusion, but knew there was some one there if we needed something, so thank you. We all had a fabulous holiday and a great escape from the otherwise hectic lives we have at home!
We totally appreciated the thought that has gone into helping guests make their stay so enjoyable, so a massive thanks for that! It really felt that we were back to a new normal, with absolute confidence that we were safe. Thanks for such a lovely holiday!”
Wednesday 15th July 2020
- We are delighted to have also been accredited by the AA as well as VisitBritain for our Covid-19 measures, and are now listed as an ‘AA Covid-Confident’ property on their website.
Thursday 9th July 2020
We are very much looking forward to welcoming guests back to Triscombe again. Not everything may be perfect but we will do our utmost to ensure that all guests have a relaxing and enjoyable stay with us whilst remaining Covid-Secure. Everyone’s health and wellbeing is our priority.
- We are now accredited by Visit Britain as being Covid-Secure and have been awarded the ‘Good to Go’ certification.
- You can find our completed Risk Assessment here and our revised terms and conditions here
- We will start accepting bookings to stay from Monday 13th July 2020. Please be aware there will be a 72 hour gap between departures and new arrivals so start dates for breaks will be staggered. Our price tariff has now been updated and we will honour a price match promise for guests booking now to stay in 2021.
- Following today’s government update, we are working to reopen the pool on Saturday 25th July 2020.
- We have taken an updated first aid course specific to Covid-19. Becky is the designated Health and Safety executive manager and is a certified first aider.
- The internet has been upgraded to a mesh system, improving coverage and speed across all cottages.
- All guest information will be available online with links sent to guests prior to arrival.
Tuesday 30th June 2020
Here are some additions to our previous post:
In Place:
- The white goods have been delivered to provide fridge and freezer capacity in all accommodation.
In Progress:
- We are awaiting clarification of guidelines with regards to the use of our pool. If able to reopen the pool, use will be on a rota basis, based on the government guidelines of social distancing and the guidance about meeting of different households indoors.
- We have made adaptations within the games room and are waiting for confirmation that we can reopen it. If we are able to reopen it, to be Covid Secure there will only be table tennis available and guests will need to bring their own bats and balls.
- We have a conference call and demonstration next week with regard to insurance cover which will enable guests to cancel between 60-2 days prior to arrival. We will provide a further update next week once we know how this would also affect our pricing policy.
- We are completing our Risk Assessments in preparation for announcing our reopening date.
- Guidelines for how guests need to leave the accommodation on departure are being completed.
Under Review:
- How guests can access details of what is available by way of tourist attractions and places to eat during their stay, including how to book.
Sunday 28th June 2020
We hope that all of our followers, your family and friends are well. Below is a list of measures that are either now in place, are in progress or are under review for when we welcome guests back to Triscombe. These measures are all to minimise the risk of transmission, to maximise the safety of our guests and community, and to ensure we are a Covid-secure environment.
In Place:
– fogging and dry steam cleaning during all changeovers.
– we have taken steps to improve provision of internet access for guests for leisure purposes as we are all more reliant on the internet. The internet will also allow guests to research guest attractions rather than using the information room.
– we have ensured there is enough freezer space in all accommodation as we appreciate that guests may feel safer eating out less. Details will be provided for each individual cottage.
– we have ensured that we have outdoor seating designated to each cottage so there are no shared tables between different family groups.
– we have updated conditions of booking, including compulsory to have a face covering per person such as face mask or scarf. Full list to be published in coming days.
– we have installed touch-free wall-mounted soap and sanitizer dispensers on entry to each cottage.
– we have invested in bedding so that our standard pillow now provided has been upgraded from our regular supplier to the same standard as that used in care homes and by the NHS. This is to the same specification as that advertised by the textile factory direct as being sold to the UN during the Ebola Crisis. Guests are welcome to bring their own pillows if they feel safer doing so but we would need to know prior to arrival.
– we have purchased upgraded mattress, duvet and pillow protectors so that we have enough to do a complete change of all across all cottages for every changeover.
– we have organised a pavement social distancing sign to remind guests that while on site, a 2 metre distance still applies. This is in the same colour scheme as our local council to support this message from our site into the local community and vice versa.
– we have improved guests’ welcome packs by sourcing an additional local food provider. Packaging for all items will be jars, bottles or wrapped.
– we have a pledge to guests to get them from their cottage to their home without needing to stop should they develop symptoms of COVID19. This is our peace of mind policy and includes complimentary packed food and drinks for the journey. This will also be outlined in our updated t&c’s.
– Due to the additional essential cleaning for changeovers, there is now an earlier check-out at 9am and later arrival time at 5pm, in line with major agencies.
– we have removed all non-essential items in cottages, such as books, board games, cushions and bed throws.
In Progress:
– we are installing hand sanitiser equipment on entry to all communal facilities.
– we are reviewing our washing and drying facility of clothes and its availability to guests.
– we are reviewing our website and how to provide all cottage information online for each booking at least 48 hours before arrival, including check in procedure.
– how to conduct contact-free check-in, reading of electricity meters and check-out.
– we are enquiring about third-party insurance cover for guests.
– we continuing to develop further facilities to enhance our guests experience while staying with us.
Under Review:
– the use of communal facilities, including swimming pool and games room.
– the welcome tea tray and cleaning products provided to guests as well as provision of toilet rolls.
– the provision of cots. Highchairs will still be provided free of charge.
– the provision of towels, bath mats, tea towels and oven gloves.
– whether we ask guests to being their own external pillow cases or supply these ourselves.
– the making of beds prior to arrival by our cleaning team or whether it is more covid-secure for this to be done by guests after arrival. We are in discussion with our local laundry service about the possibility of individual cottage packs being supplied individually wrapped. We appreciate some bookings may wish to bring their own external bedding.
– our refuge and recycling disposal system.
– the length of short breaks and arrival dates.
– our pricing tariff and policy.
– whether we open the tennis court in 2020 due to the extra maintenance required for other communal facilities and preparations being made for reopening.
If anyone has any thoughts on the points above, or about anything else relating to our self catering or bed and breakfast accommodation please let us know. We welcome all feedback.
Wednesday 24th June 2020
Following the Government announcement yesterday that holiday accommodation including self catering holiday lets can reopen from the 4th July, we are very much looking forward to welcoming our guests back to Triscombe.
We will confirm our reopening date once government guidance has been finalised and we can ensure that we have covered all safety and hygiene aspects for our guests’ peace of mind, as well as making sure we have taken every possible precaution to keep ourselves, our local community as well as the wider Exmoor community safe too. We hope to be able to confirm this in the next few days.
Meanwhile, Exmoor National Park currently have a survey open to hear everyone’s views and thoughts about visiting Exmoor after the lockdown. If you have a few minutes to spare, it would be greatly appreciated if you could give your thoughts as this will help a huge number of businesses. There is also the chance to win a £25 gift voucher to spend in a National Park information centre by simply giving your opinion! Here is the link:
Keep an eye out for further updates from us, and we look forwarding to opening up again in the near future!
Friday 12th June 2020
We value your opinion and want to hear from you.
We would like to update you on our plans here at Triscombe Farm. We are currently awaiting government guidelines for adaptations we will need to make to ensure you, our guests, ourselves, our local community and the wider Exmoor community are kept Covid-19 secure.
We would like to involve you in the decisions that we make about how we reopen and what changes we make. We would therefore very much appreciate receiving your comments and thoughts about changes you would like to see about how we operate to ensure you feel Covid19 secure while staying with us. Any feedback by Thursday 18th June if possible would be greatly appreciated. This is when we expect we may receive the necessary guidance from the Government about reopening when it is safe to do so. You can email us on triscombeholidays@gmail.com or private message via our social media channels (Facebook and Instagram).
Whilst reviewing all of our procedures and how we operate, we want to ensure that we have thought about everything that is important to guests whilst they are on holiday. Examples of changes we are considering are: Guests being able to bring their own bedding and towels, with highchairs still being provided free of charge, but no cots or mattresses as we feel that guests may feel happier with their own travel cot; access to the pool and other facilities whilst maintaining social distancing on site; provision of kitchen equipment and non-essential cottage items such as DVD’s and books; check in and check out of the accommodation; length of time between cottage changeovers; guest welcome gifts; minimum lengths of holidays offered and staggered arrival days; changes to conditions of booking to cover what guests expect to do if they become symptomatic of Covid-19 during their stay, just before arrival or within 2 weeks of their departure.
We are currently in the process of improving our internet access at Triscombe and also have exciting long term plans to further enhance guests’ experience and enjoyment while staying here.
We thank you for taking the time to read this update and we look forward to hopefully welcome you to Triscombe when it is safe to do so.
Stay safe and keep well.
Ruth, Becky and the Management Team at Triscombe.
Tuesday 12th May 2020
Hello to all of our followers – we hope that you, your families and friends are all well and safe in this difficult time. We just wanted to post an update following the Government changes.
We know that we are located and live in a stunning location and that Wheddon Cross, and Exmoor on the whole, has a reputation for being friendly and welcoming. We believe that this is why so many visitors want to come to the National Park for day trips or for longer stays throughout the year.
Once the Government advise that it is safe to travel to tourist destinations again we look forward to welcoming guests back to Triscombe Farm and to visit our wonderful National Park again. We do not anticipate this being until at least the 4th July, in-line with the Government’s plan to relax lockdown measures.
Some of our community is ‘at risk’ and some are ‘vulnerable’ so at the moment we want you to exercise caution and also to think of our community and help us to protect everyone here.
Even with the change in Government message allowing day trips around England tomorrow, we know our community on Exmoor would greatly appreciate as few visitors as possible while there is still a high risk of virus transmission. Here in Wheddon Cross many local facilities are closed, including the public toilets, pub and children’s playground. We know it is very difficult to resist visiting another place, especially with the current sunny weather and having already experienced several weeks of lockdown, but please believe us when we say that coming to Exmoor once we are back open to visitors will be well worth the wait!
In the meantime, please stay safe, stay alert, stay home where possible, control the virus and help us protect our community.
Friday 27th March 2020
Triscombe Farm is now closed to guests due to the Coronavirus outbreak – holidays are not essential travel and we feel it is for the best that we close for the foreseeable future.
We are not expecting to be able to reopen until at least the end of June, potentially even later than this, depending on Government advice.
As this is a fast moving situation we will post updates on our website and social media channels where necessary. We will be staying closed for as long as necessary to reduce the impact of the coronavirus in the UK, we hope that guests who have booked to stay with us respect this decision.
We will be in contact with all guests who have booked with us during Spring 2020, and also the start of the Summer, to discuss alternative dates for your stay. We have stopped taking booking enquiries for the time being as we do not know the length of time restrictions are likely to be in place. We will post an update once we have an idea of when we will be able to welcome guests back to the farm.
We wish everyone all the best during this trying time and would like to say a huge thank you to the NHS, key workers, and everyone else for keeping this country going.
Stay home, save lives, protect the NHS.
Very best wishes,
Ruth, Becky and the team at Triscombe Farm
